Phuket to Krabi 2026: Ferry, Bus, Speedboat Booking

We rate the direct Phuket to Krabi boat as a high season luxury, not a year round given. From November to April the fast catamaran cuts straight across the Andaman in about 2 hours. Roll into late June and the afternoon sailings start dropping, and the safe bet becomes the longer road around Phang Nga Bay. The boat leaves Rassada Pier on the Phuket Town side and the usual landing is the Ao Nang and Krabi coast.

So the real choice is the seasonal direct crossing against the overland route that runs every day of the year. The boat wins if you travel November to April and want the short scenic crossing. Take the road if your dates fall in the monsoon, or if you would rather skip any sea state risk. Check current schedules and fares as the starting point, then read the section that matches your dates.

Plan your trip

Kamala beach on the Phuket west coast — The direct Krabi boats run in high season from Phuket’s Rassada Pier on the east coast. Photographer: mohigan. Source: Wikimedia Commons. License: CC BY-SA 3.0.

Phuket to Krabi at a glance

Operator	Departures	Duration	Type	From (one-way)	Book
Andaman Wave Master Fastest	Multiple daily	1h 59min	Speedboat ferry	$32-75	Check availability
Phi Phi Cruiser (via Phi Phi)	1 daily	up to 7 hrs	Ferry via Phi Phi Don	$25-40	Check availability
Chureang Travel	Daily	4 hrs	Scheduled ferry	$25-40	Check availability
Bus + minivan alternative	Daily	2-3 hrs	Overland via Sarasin Bridge	$6-22	Check availability

Direct ferry duration: 1 hour 59 minutes on Andaman Wave Master, the fastest operator
Direct ferry fare: from about $32 foot-passenger, average $75 across operators and seasons
Direct ferry season: year round, with frequency cut to 1 or 2 daily sailings June through September
Overland duration: 2 to 3 hours by bus or minivan via Highway 4 and Sarasin Bridge
Overland fare: from $6 minivan, $10 standard bus
Origin piers: Rassada Pier (Phuket Town side) for ferry, Bus Terminal 1 for overland
Destination piers: Klong Jilad Pier (primary) or Chaofa Pier (minority) in Krabi for ferry

Three routes from Phuket to Krabi

Each option has a different failure mode. Pick on what you trust to fail least on your dates.

Direct ferry (Rassada to Klong Jilad)

Andaman Wave Master and Chureang Travel and Tour run the fast direct service in about 2 hours. Phi Phi Cruiser also lists the route but loops via Phi Phi Don and takes up to 7 hours. Some aggregators sell a Phi Phi Cruiser ticket labeled as a “Phuket to Krabi ferry.” Read the schedule and duration before paying.

Schedule density in high season runs 3 daily sailings, first 08:30 from Rassada, last 12:00. The window collapses to 1 or 2 sailings a day from late June through September when sea state cancels afternoon runs. Lock the morning departure if you are traveling in monsoon months.

The overland bus and minivan alternative

Bus or minivan (Phuket Bus Terminal 1 to Krabi)

The overland route crosses Sarasin Bridge to the mainland and runs Highway 4 north then east. Standard bus seats $10. The tourist coach with reclining seats and a meal break runs roughly twice that.

Minivan runs $6 to $12 with hotel to hotel pickup. The bus is the cheapest. The minivan saves the taxi to and from terminals.

Drive time runs 2 hours direct, or 3 hours with shared minivan pickups and the Phang Nga rest stop. No tide or sea state risk on this leg. Compare bus and minivan options when monsoon thins the ferry.

Private speedboat charter

Charter pricing varies by season, group size, and how many days notice. The full boat books at several hundred dollars for the crossing. Split across 6 to 8 passengers, the per head cost comes in below a high season ferry premium ticket. The charter takes about an hour and lands at any Krabi or Phi Phi pier you specify.

The charter math only works for groups of 5 plus, or families with kids who cannot wait for a 12:00 ferry departure.

Direct ferry schedules, fares, and operator notes

Andaman Wave Master runs the route in 1 hour 59 minutes on the fast November sailing. Foot-passenger fare runs $32 cheapest at the online booking window, about $42 walking up at Rassada Pier on the morning of departure. The boat is a 200-seat catamaran with AC interior and an open upper deck.

Chureang Travel and Tour comes in slightly above on price and runs at about 4 hours total because of a mid-route stop. Phi Phi Cruiser at 7 hours is the slow island loop, not a direct service in practice.

Limestone karst rising from the Andaman Sea — The route crosses the open Andaman east past the karst toward the Krabi mainland. Photographer: Diego Delso. Source: Wikimedia Commons. License: CC BY-SA 3.0.

Andaman Sea sunset, the same coastal water the Phuket to Krabi ferry crosses — Andaman Sea between Phuket and Krabi. The direct ferry crosses 60 km of open water before reaching the Krabi limestone coast. Photo: Phuketian.S via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0).

Online booking beats the pier counter by 20 to 30 percent on every operator. Hotel desk bookings carry an additional markup. Book the seat online before the morning of departure for the cleanest pricing.

The bus and minivan route detail

Phuket Bus Terminal 1 sits in Phuket Town, not at the airport. Buses depart every 30 to 60 minutes through the day. The route runs north via Sarasin Bridge to Phangnga, then east on Highway 4 to Krabi. Total drive time is 2 hours in light traffic, 3 hours on a Friday afternoon.

Minivan is the popular pick because it picks up at the hotel and drops at the hotel. The trade is a longer total time from the shared pickup loop, and a 10-minute Phang Nga rest stop that minivan companies use to push side purchases. Pre-book the minivan if you are traveling with luggage, particularly in monsoon months.

What to watch for on the Phuket to Krabi route

The four common Phuket to Krabi things to check are the slow Phi Phi Cruiser routing sold as a direct ferry (7 hours instead of 2), the minivan Phang Nga rest stop side purchases, the high season Rassada Pier ticket counter selling out on flexible dates, and the rough sea afternoon cancellations in June through September. Confirm the operator name and crossing time on the ticket before paying.

Ao Nang beach town in Krabi — Most crossings land at Ao Nang on the Krabi coast, the gateway to Railay and the mainland. Photographer: kallerna. Source: Wikimedia Commons. License: CC BY-SA 3.0.

Onward connections from Krabi to the islands

Klong Jilad Pier sits 5 km south of Krabi Town and 18 km from Ao Nang. The pier is the inbound hub for ferries to Koh Phi Phi (1.5 to 2 hours) and the catamaran to Koh Lanta in high season. Most travelers connect through here to a beach destination rather than overnighting in Krabi Town.

For Koh Lanta, the Krabi to Koh Lanta ferry from Klong Jilad runs 90 minutes on the Ao Nang Princess (check Krabi to Koh Lanta schedules). For Koh Phi Phi, the fast ferry from Klong Jilad runs 90 minutes (compare Krabi to Koh Phi Phi options). For Ao Nang and Railay, a shared songthaew runs $3 to $5 per person from the pier.

Practicalities for the Phuket to Krabi trip

The route itself. Check live schedules and lock a seat. Online beats the pier counter on price across all operators and seasons.
Return Krabi to Phuket leg. Pre-book the return seat at the same time as the outbound. Last sailing from Klong Jilad in high season is around 13:30.

For onward island and overland connections after Krabi:

Krabi to Koh Lanta. Compare Krabi to Koh Lanta options. November to April direct ferry, all year bus and ferry combo via Hua Hin Pier.
Krabi to Koh Phi Phi. Compare Krabi to Koh Phi Phi options. High-speed ferry 90 minutes, three daily departures in high season.
Phi Phi speedboat day tour. Pre book a Phi Phi day tour from Krabi. Maya Bay, Pileh Lagoon, Monkey Beach package.
Travel insurance. Compare Thailand travel insurance plans. Low daily rates. Covers ferry cancellations in monsoon months.

For SHA-certified hotel options at the Krabi end of the route, see our Krabi SHA hotel guide. The best beaches in Krabi guide covers Railay, Ao Nang, and the Phi Phi day trip stops in detail, and our 3 days in Krabi itinerary ties them together. From the same Phuket coast, see the ferry between Phuket and Koh Phi Phi and the quieter ferry between Phuket and Koh Yao Noi.

Frequently asked questions

How long does the Phuket to Krabi ferry take?

The fastest direct ferry on Andaman Wave Master runs 1 hour 59 minutes from Rassada Pier in Phuket to Klong Jilad Pier in Krabi. Chureang Travel and Tour runs the same route in about 4 hours. Phi Phi Cruiser routes via Phi Phi Don and takes up to 7 hours, which is technically a “Phuket to Krabi” ticket but not a direct crossing. Check the live schedule before booking.

How much does the Phuket to Krabi ferry cost?

Foot-passenger fares run $32 cheapest to about $75 average in 2026, with premium high-season tickets up to $209 on the fastest operator. Online booking lands at the low end. Pier counter walk-up sits 20 to 30 percent above the online rate. Hotel desk bookings carry an additional markup.

Does the Phuket to Krabi ferry run year round?

Yes, the direct ferry runs all year. Frequency drops from 3 daily sailings in high season (November to April) to 1 or 2 daily sailings during the southwest monsoon (June through September). Older guides claim the direct ferry stops entirely in monsoon. That was true 10 years ago. It runs reduced now.

What’s the alternative when the ferry can’t run?

The overland bus or minivan from Phuket Bus Terminal 1 to Krabi runs every day of the year regardless of sea state. Standard bus from $10, tourist coach $18 to $22, minivan $6 to $12 with hotel pickup. Total drive time 2 to 3 hours via Highway 4 and Sarasin Bridge.

Which Phuket pier does the Krabi ferry leave from?

Rassada Pier, on the east side of Phuket island, 4 km east of Phuket Town and 22 km from Patong. This is the only direct-ferry pier to Krabi. Other Phuket piers (Chalong, Ao Po) serve different routes.

Where does the Phuket to Krabi ferry arrive?

Klong Jilad Pier, 5 km south of Krabi Town and 18 km from Ao Nang Beach. A minority of sailings arrive at Chaofa Pier instead. Confirm the destination pier on the ticket before leaving the hotel in Phuket.

Is the minivan faster than the bus?

Direct point-to-point, the minivan can match the 2-hour bus time. With hotel pickup loops, the minivan often takes 30 to 60 minutes longer than the bus. The minivan trade is door-to-door convenience, not speed.

For all 27 Thailand ferry routes plus operator reliability, seasonal cancellation patterns, and booking strategy, see our complete Thailand ferry guide.